The special investigation team (SIT) probing the death of Aqil Akhtar, son of former Punjab DGP Mohammad Mustafa, has recovered his personal diary that could prove to be crucial evidence in the case.
According to the people in know of the matter, the SIT recovered the diary from Aqil’s family who had been staying in UP’s Saharanpur until October 24. A prayer meeting for Aqil was held in Malerkotla on Saturday and the family is expected to arrive in Panchkula by late evening on October 26.
Akhtar, a lawyer and a resident of Sector 4 in MDC, Panchkula, was found dead at his residence on October 16. A police complaint was lodged on October 17.
The Haryana government has sought a CBI probe into Akhtar’s death. Officials said that given the sensitivity of the case, the nature of allegations levelled in the FIR and the fact that case involved multiple state jurisdictions, the state government decided that the investigations in the case be handed over to the CBI.
According to complainant Shamshudeen Chaudhary, Aqil had posted a photograph of his diary on social media on October 3, shortly before his death. Below the image, he had scribbled: “In case I die, this diary should be treated as my dying declaration and I should be checked for aluminium phosphide poisoning.”
Chaudhary had shared a screenshot of a diary and lodged a complaint with Panchkula police, state DGP and Haryana chief minister Nayab Singh Saini, demanding a fair and impartial probe.
On October 20, police registered a case against Mohammad Mustafa, his wife and three-time former MLA Razia Sultana, their daughter, and daughter-in-law under Sections 103(1) (murder) and 61 (criminal conspiracy) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).
The diary reportedly contains detailed accounts of Aqil’s personal life, family issues, and grievances, including allegations against family members. To verify its authenticity, the diary will be sent for forensic handwriting analysis, said a senior SIT member.
He said the SIT also visited the crime scene and recovered some items, including two old mobile phones. These will be examined by forensic experts. However, the officer clarified that neither of these phones was used to record or upload the social media videos allegedly made by Aqil. The phone used for those recordings is yet to be traced and is believed to be with his family, added the officer.
The complaint had also cited a video Aqil had posted on August 27, in which he accused his father, wife, and other family members of conspiring to kill him or falsely implicate him in a case. Chaudhary said Aqil had repeatedly expressed fear for his life, and his sudden death warranted a thorough probe into his social media posts, call records, digital evidence, and postmortem report.
Following Aqil’s death, another 3.23-minute video surfaced, in which he appeared to retract his earlier claims. In it, Aqil said he suffered from schizophrenia and that his earlier statements were made during a period of mental illness. “If I had different parents, I might not have survived. My sister has always supported me and gave me medicine. I was sick and misunderstood her intentions. I am blessed to have this family,” he said in the video.
Reacting to the FIR, Mohammad Mustafa said that under the law, police are required to register a case when a written complaint is received. He emphasised that the filing of an FIR does not establish guilt and expressed confidence that the truth would emerge through investigation. Mustafa also cautioned that those who filed a “false or baseless” complaint would face legal consequences once the facts were clear.
Patiala de-addiction centre manager where Akhtar was admitted summoned
A senior member of the SIT said that they have issued a notice to the manager of the drug de-addiction centre in Patiala to appear for an investigation. As per the details, Aqil Akhtar was admitted there twice; once for 15 days and for two months, on another ocassion. “We are also checking what his general behaviour was like and the types of medicines provided to him during his treatment there,” he said. Earlier, a police team visited the centre for collecting Aqil’s medical records.
Cong leaders offer condolences to ex-Punjab DGP Mustafa on death of his son
A large number of people including Congress leaders on Saturday expressed condolences to former Punjab DGP Mohammad Mustafa and his wife and former minister Razia Sultana on the death of their son Akil Akhter.
Punjab Congress president Amrinder Singh Raja Warring, Leader of Opposition in the state assembly Partap Singh Bajwa, former chief minister Rajinder Kaur Bhattal, Fatehgarh Sahib MP Dr Amar Singh, former minister Bharat Bhushan Ashu, former legislators Jassi Khangura and Kikki Dhillon, and others were among those present at the prayer meet.
Warring said this was an irreparable loss for the family, which had lost its only son.
He said the entire Congress party stood by Mustafa and Sultana in this hour of grief.
Bhattal, while sharing the grief with the family, prayed for peace to the departed soul and courage to the parents. She said this was an irreparable loss, which was so painful.
